Holmgren would like to cap roster by making room for Gill

Defenseman Hal Gill (75) checks New Jersey wing Damien Brunner (12) with help from Jay Rosehill (37) in front of goalie Steve Mason (35) in a preseason game last month. Gill’s tryout agreement was due to expire at midnight. (Associated Press Photo)

VOORHEES, N.J. — When the Flyers finally released their final opening day roster Monday, there weren’t any great surprises, mainly since the roster is far from being final.

Essentially, to get compliant with the salary cap by the 5 o’clock deadline, club general manager Paul Holmgren sent fourth-line center Adam Hall and defenseman Bruno Gervais to the Phantoms, and slotted money for concussed rookie Marc-Andre Bourdon under the “injured non-roster” classification made new with last year’s collective bargaining agreement.

That enabled them to be cap compliant at the deadline until filing Chris Pronger’s $4.9 million salary on the long-term injury list.

“Once we file Chris on Long Term we have a little bit more flexibility,” Holmgren said.

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And when could they do that?

“Probably in about 10 minutes,” Holmgren said at 4:51 p.m. Monday.

If indeed that were to happen, presumably Holmgren would likely bring Hall back, but likely keep Gervais in the minors. That would then open the door for a real deal to 38-year-old defenseman Hal Gill, whose tryout agreement was to expire at midnight Monday night. Gill is committed to holding out to get a spot on the team, and Holmgren was to talk to him Monday night about perhaps extending the tryout agreement or putting together a contract offer.

Nothing about any of that was written in stone at the dinner hour Monday.

“I like the way Hal played in training camp,” Holmgren said. “He’s the consummate professional. I think he’s the same speed he was 10 years ago.”

Consider him about to get signed, then ... the slow way.

“He’s got a lot on his plate right now,” Gill said of Holmgren, who by the way has also been looking at maybe making a trade or 10. “I’ve been playing with this team, and you know, it’s not like me to do something like this and not get involved and put everything into it. So I’ve done that and of course I’d like to stay.”

Jake Voracek practiced in full for the first time since banging up his lower back in an exhibition against New Jersey. Voracek has essentially declared himself ready to go for the Wednesday opener against Toronto.

“I feel a little better every time I skate,” Voracek said. “We’ll see what happens on Wednesday.”

But when asked if he thought there was any possibility he wouldn’t be ready to play, Voracek added, “I don’t think so. If I feel the same way I felt today, I should be able to play.”

NOTES: Voracek agrees with just about everyone that the Flyers’ mission to get off to a good start and eventually regain a playoff position is a challenging one, made all the tougher by the additions of Detroit and Columbus to the Eastern Conference. “Obviously, it’s going to be harder,” Voracek said. “The conference is bigger, and I think it’s going to be harder. Every team is still getting better every year. Columbus right now is growing into a great team and that’s a tough building to play in. And teams like the Islanders making the playoffs ... it’s getting harder every year to beat them. But I’m sure this team is going to be successful.” ... Coming off finger tendon surgery necessitated in August when a golf club shaft broke and penetrated his hand, Claude Giroux has seemingly gotten sharper every day in practices. But he says he has yet to pick up a golf club again. Not yet, anyway. “I don’t think I’ll give it up,” Giroux said. “But hopefully next (summer) I won’t have as much time to play.”